Loons get comeback win against Bees

The Great Lakes Loons pounded out 15 hits and battled back from a 5-4 deficit Tuesday to defeat the Burlington Bees 10-7 at Community Field.

After the Loons jumped out 4-1 after the top of the second, the Bees stung for four runs of their own off Josh Wall in the third to take a one-run lead.

But the Loons responded with a four-run top of the fourth to retake the lead, highlighted by Trayvon Robinson’s triple that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs. Francisco Lizarraga followed Robinson’s triple with his second home run of season to make it 8-5. The two teams would then trade runs the rest of the way as the Loons held on for the win.

Offensively, Josh Bell carried the big stick for the Loons, homering and smacking two doubles while driving in three runs. Bell now has a team-high 20 RBIs and extended his hitting streak to a team-high eight games. Scott Van Slyke also had a big game for the Loons with three hits and an RBI while Robinson was 2-for-5 with three driven in. Lizarraga and James Peterson also had multi-hit performances for the Loons, who improve to 19-24.

Wall (2-5) surrendered seven runs (six earned) but picked up his second win of the season. Joe Jones – who has not allowed an earned run this season – pitched three more scoreless innings of relief. Garrett White celebrated his 23rd birthday by pitching the ninth inning for his second save.

The Loons have now won four of their last five games and pulled to within 4.5 games of the Whitecaps for the second first-half playoff spot in the Midwest League East. The Loons have 27 more games remaining in the first half.

Game three against the Burlington Bees is scheduled for Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. ET. Lefty Cody White will get the starting nod for the Loons against fellow southpaw Matt Campbell.

A box score of Tuesday’s game is available at milb.com.